


The Forever Tamales

by Bellakitse



Series: 30 days of Tarlos [11]
Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Boys In Love, Humor, Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:54:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24671914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bellakitse/pseuds/Bellakitse
Summary: “Marriage Tamales?” he asks, confused, his heart ticking upward as the sisters nod and smirk at him and Carlos.They start to explain the significance of the special dish. Every word they utter makes his heart race as he tries to come to terms with the fact that Carlos made him a dish so important to his family.*A companion piece to 'The Marriage Tamales' from TK's POV
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Series: 30 days of Tarlos [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1769356
Comments: 39
Kudos: 443





	The Forever Tamales

**Author's Note:**

> 30 days of Tarlos - Day 11
> 
> A while back an anon asked if I would write the marriage tamales from TK's POV and the idea stuck in my head so here it is. Obviously it's a lot of the same dialogue, but I hope you guys like it all the same. ❤

TK Strand is not all that sure how they ended up here.

They get a house call in the evening, a small kitchen fire that they put out quickly with not much damage to the kitchen itself. The four women in the house, a mother and her three adult daughters, are perfectly fine, no smoke inhalation according to Nancy and Tim. That should be the end of it. They should have packed their gear, wish the family well, and headed back to the firehouse.

Instead, his crew members are in the living room eating chicken empanadas and drinking horchata while he inspects the kitchen for the third time to make sure he hasn’t missed anything. He tells himself he would do it for anyone they helped; it has nothing to do with finding out who’s part of this family, not at all.

It doesn’t take long for him and the rest of the crew to realize the four women are related to Carlos Reyes. Not only does Nancy mention having tagged along with Michelle to the house before for a cookout, but there are pictures of the family on all the walls, in just about all of them he sees Carlos’ beautiful smiling face as he’s surrounded by equally attractive women. The Reyes clan is unfairly pretty.

“You’ve already checked the stove three times.”

TK turns around from his inspection to find Mrs. Reyes looking at him curiously.

“And that’s after your captain already checked it and gave the all-clear,” she continues, raising an eyebrow at him. “Is something wrong?”

“No, Mrs. Reyes,” he assures her quickly with a shake of his head. “I’m just airing on the side of caution, but I assure you nothing is wrong – well, except that you’ll have to replace the stove.”

“I’m pretty sure my oldest was already ordering a new one before the fire was even out,” she says with a chuckle. “The wonders of technology, and it’s Carlota, sweetheart, not Mrs. Reyes, got it?”

“I can’t promise that ma’am,” he says with a small wince when she shoots him a look.

Carlota narrows her eyes at him for all of a second before she’s smiling again. “Handsome, polite, a firefighter and with those pretty green eyes of yours,” she shakes her head, the smile on her face very familiar to one that makes his heart skip on a daily basis. “You’re just a mother’s dream, aren’t you, TK.”

TK blushes at her compliments, earning another laugh from her.

“I have a single daughter, you know,” she says with a twinkle in her eye that in turn has him chuckling.

“All three of your daughters are very beautiful,” TK says with a grin, amused by the way she nods in agreement. “But I play for the other team,” he continues.

“Then you’re in luck because I also have a beautiful _son_ ,” Carlota tells him without missing a beat, and TK has to bite down on his lip to keep from blurting out something embarrassing like the fact that he knows her beautiful son _intimately_.

Luckily he’s saved from having to say anything by the front door opening with a bang that is quickly followed by loud voices.

“That would be said son,” Carlota says dryly with a roll of her eyes. “Come, let's go see what has his underwear in a twist.”

TK follows her out because he doesn’t think Carlota will take his racing heart as an excuse to hide out in her ruined kitchen. They walk into the living room just in time to find Carlos staring down his sisters and the rest of the 126.

“I’m going to ask one more time, and I expect an answer,” he says sternly, his voice making TK’s insides clench as his mind runs with seriously inappropriate thoughts to have in front of his not boyfriend's family. “What _the fuck_ is happening here, and is everyone okay?”

Carlota rolls her eyes at him again, shaking her head as she mutters under her breath about overdramatic children. TK covers his mouth with his hand to keep from letting out a snort.

She clears her throat before speaking. “Everyone is fine, Carlitos, which is more than I can say for you if you curse in my house one more time, Nene.”

TK watches as Carlos turns around, eyes wide and worried as he focuses on his mother, obviously not noticing him yet. He stands back as Carlos pulls the small woman to his chest tenderly, asking her if she’s okay and that his sister told him about the fire.

It sets off the family for a moment before Carlota lets out a huff as she turns back to him, drawing everyone's attention, including Carlos’ to him.

He stands there feeling awkward as Carlos runs his gaze over him, his face a little pink; it probably matches his, he feels hot in the face too.

“Hey, Carlos,” he says, trying to keep his smile neutral when he feels anything but. Carlos has a way of turning his insides into jelly with just a look, and the more time he spends with him – in _and_ out of his bed – the harder it gets for TK to ignore all the feelings the man in front of him creates.

“TK, tell my Carlitos that everything is fine,” Carlota nudges him with her elbow, that twinkle from the kitchen back in her eyes. It eases some of his sudden nervousness, and he can’t help but grin in amusement as she continues babying Carlos with her endearments. The way it makes Carlos blush is adorable.

“The stove caught fire,” he starts, holding up his hand quickly when Carlos looks at his mother in distress. “It’s all good, we put it out and checked-out your mom and sisters,” he continues, sparing a look to the rest of the family. “Everyone is fine, and there’s not much damage, though the stove will have to be replaced.”

_“See,_ the handsome firefighter says everything is fine. You can stop worrying now, mijo,” Carlota tells Carlos indulgently before turning back to him. “You’ve met my son before, TK?”

TK can’t help the growing grin on his face as he nods. “Yes, ma’am. Carlos and I know each other from work, he’s an excellent officer.”

“And _handsome_?” she continues knowingly, and this time TK can’t help but chuckle at her matchmaking ways.

“He certainly makes some of the calls we’ve been on _way_ prettier,” he whispers teasingly as he leans in close to her, entertained by the way she lights up. It’s almost as amusing as the deep uncensored groan Carlos lets out as he heads back to his sisters on the couch, ignoring his mother when she speaks again.

“She zeroed in on him the second she saw his eyes, kid,” one of Carlos’ sisters informs him dryly. Carlos answers by shaking his head as he takes an empanada another sister offers him.

“Of course she did, Mami likes green eyes,” Carlos grumbles around a mouthful as all three of his sisters nod in agreement.

TK blushes as he gets what they mean, he knows a matchmaking scheme when he sees one, especially if they involve him. The rest of his crew needs explaining though, and Carlos’ sisters seem more than willing to clarify as they tell them their mother is trying to set Carlos up with him.

It sets off all four Reyes women as they talk over each other. He ignores them and instead focuses on the one Reyes that truly matters to him. Walking around Carlota, he goes to Carlos’ side, smiling at him in what he hopes is a reassuring way as he looks back at him embarrassed.

Carlos smiles back at him, still a little red in the face but not too bad. It makes TK’s hands itch; he wants to reach out and reassure Carlos in other ways, with his hands and mouth, he wants to whisper in his ear that everything is fine before pressing his lips to that spot under his jaw that always makes Carlos sigh beautifully.

He takes an empanada when Carlos offers it to him; it’s either that, or cave in to the urge and touch Carlos.

Taking a bite, he can’t help the moan of appreciation he lets out. _Holy fuck_ , are _all_ the Reyes good with food?

“ _Oh my god,_ that’s delicious,” he gets out around another mouthful.

“No wonder you’re such a good cook, you got it from your mom,” he tells him, and TK instantly knows he’s made a mistake by the way the room goes quiet as Carlos stares back at him with large eyes.

“Carlos has _cooked_ for you?” one of Carlos’ sisters with pretty curly hair asks him, and even he can hear the elation in her voice as she throws Carlos a wicked grin.

“Mmhmm,” he says, taking another bite nervously. He continues even though there is a little voice in his head telling him to stop and hide as all four women stare at him. He tells them about fish and pasta dishes, knowing he’s probably revealing more than he should about his relationship with Carlos. Out of the corner of his eye, he can see his dad and the others hanging on every word.

“He also made me some tamales to die for,” he tells them.

The second the words are out; he watches as four pairs of brown eyes widen dramatically. “He said it was your recipe, ma’am,” he turns to Carlota with a smile, hoping to please her.

She lets out a squeak that startles him when he tells her she taught Carlos well, looking at him like he just told her she won a million dollars; her eyes sparkle with happiness.

“You made this pretty little gringo our mother’s marriage tamales?” one of Carlos’ other sisters asks, staring at Carlos in amazement.

It sets off the other two sisters, one asks about a wedding, while the one who first asked if Carlos cooked for him scoffs before asking if they’re adopting or going with surrogacy. They all sound incredulous and amused as they poke at Carlos, but all TK can focus on is the first comment.

“Marriage Tamales?” he asks, confused, his heart ticking upward as the sisters nod and smirk at him and Carlos.

They start to explain the significance of the special dish. Every word they utter makes his heart race as he tries to come to terms with the fact that Carlos made him a dish so important to his family.

He turns to look at Carlos, his heart pounding under his chest at the urgent look on Carlos’ face as he looks back at him scared.

“Tyler, I – “ Carlos starts, and TK hates how worried he sounds. He tries to reassure him that it’s okay when he hears his father’s gasp.

Turning his head to him, he finds his dad staring at him with his mouth open. “He called you by your _name_.”

“ _Dad_ ,” he hisses out in warning, blushing when his dad just shakes his head.

“He knows your _first_ _name_ , TK,” he says, his eyes bugging out. “He knows it and just used it. Does he know what the _K_ stands for too?”

“Yes,” Carlos starts. “It’s – “

TK turns back to him, placing a hand over his mouth in a panic. “Don't you dare, Carlos Reyes,” he hisses, his heart fluttering when Carlos gives him a playful grin.

“I didn't realize using your name was such a big deal,” Carlos teases him, and as much as it wakes up parts inside TK, he hasn’t forgotten the recent conversation.

“ _Marriage tamales_ , Reyes,” he reminds him, feeling a sense of satisfaction as Carlos swallows hard and nods at him.

“So, you’re dating?” Mateo asks innocently, which is more than he can say for the rest of his crew and the Reyes sisters as he looks at them to find smirks on all their faces. They all look way too knowing for his taste.

“We’re – “ he starts only to trail off when he doesn’t have an answer.

He turns back to Carlos and finds that he’s already looking back at him. There is a bit of that earlier apprehension in his eyes, but like always, there is also so much tenderness, his brown eyes shine with affection. It makes something in TK’s throat catch to know it’s for him. Carlos cares about him in a way that leaves him breathless. It scared him at first, but now he craves it with every cell in his being as he feels the same for him.

He’s not sure what Carlos reads on his face, maybe every longing feeling he has for him but has been trying to keep under wraps, but whatever it is, it makes Carlos smile gently at him.

“We're not, _not_ dating,” Carlos answers more to him than anyone else in the room. It’s not much in terms of words, and yet it means everything at the same time, and he finds himself letting out a shaky breath at the unspoken promise.

“I'm sorry, but that is young people speak for what exactly?” Carlota asks, confused.

While he and Carlos might be coming to an understanding in their changing relationship, it’s obviously not clear to her.

“It means Carlitos has been hitting it with the gringo, but not putting a label on it, Mami,” he hears one of Carlos’ sisters say behind him, his face instantly going red at her words. “He's been doing a _whole lot_ of sinning, but it also seems like he wants to bring this cutie into the family.”

Carlos narrows his eyes, reluctantly breaking his gaze from him to look at his sister. He makes a pointed comment about a girl named Leticia that sets the whole family off again.

As they bicker amusingly amongst themselves, TK watches as his father strategically starts to get their team out of the line of fire, until he’s the only one that remains in the house. He stares at Carlos while his sisters and mother continue going at it behind him.

“We’ll talk later?” he questions hopefully, letting out a gasp when instead of answering him, Carlos pulls him into a soft kiss. He feels Carlos start to pull back, but he holds on to him, deepening the kiss until he feels Carlos melt into it.

“I finish my shift in three hours,” he murmurs, his mouth still close to Carlos’, he doesn’t want to pull away from him.

Carlos nods, his forehead bumping into his softly. “Come by after; I'll be home.”

He smiles in agreement before turning around to find all four Reyes women watching them intently. He lets out an awkward laugh as he makes his way towards the front door, thanking them for their hospitality. His laughter turns more genuine when Carlota tells him she better see him soon.

Looking back at Carlos, his heart flutters once again with hope; he smiles at her as he nods. “I'll make sure it happens, ma'am.”

֍֍֍

The ride back to the firehouse is filled with loaded silence as he ignores all the pointed looks his friends sent his way. He knows they’re all itching to discuss what just happened, but somehow manage to stay quiet. He admires their restraint. His father, however, has no such self-control, and the moment they get off the truck, he heads for his office, asking him to follow.

He turns back to his crew for a moment, rolling his eyes when they all flash him smiles and a couple of mocking thumbs up before snickering to themselves as he walks away.

He closes the door of his father’s office before he sits down across from him, staring at him as his dad stares back, waiting to see who will break. He can’t help but smile when it’s his father who caves.

“So that was interesting back there,” his father starts, and TK feels his grin grow at his attempt at casual.

“Yep,” he nods, raising an eyebrow when his father rolls his eyes at him.

“That’s it?” he questions. “That’s all you’re going to say?”

“I’m still processing what happened,” he answers, dropping the smirk. His heart is still doing somersaults from everything he learned back at the Reyes’ household and what it means for him and Carlos.

The man made him a meal that holds a whole lot of importance to his family. A meal two of his sisters have only made for the men they ended up marrying, that’s how significant those tamales are to the Reyes, and yet Carlos made them for him when they haven’t even agreed on the status of their relationship.

He doesn’t know what it means; he only knows what he _wants_ it to mean.

His father must read that on his face because his expression softens, he stands from behind his desk and comes to sit down next to him.

“Do you like him?” he questions even though he already knows the answer. TK nods anyway. “A lot?”

He nods again. “A whole lot,” he whispers, blushing as his father grins at him. “He sends my heart racing, and I’m so _happy_ when I’m with him, I just want to be with him all the time.”

“Well, that’s good,” Owen starts, still grinning as he leans in closer to whisper to him. “Because I’m pretty sure he proposed to you with food.”

TK gives his dad a hard look; it makes Owen laugh so hard he finds himself smiling reluctantly.

“If it counts for anything,” he says, still chuckling. “I like the guy for you, TK.”

He raises an eyebrow at that. It’s no secret his father has never really warmed up to any of his boyfriends. He accepted Alex because TK was adamant about making it work with him, but he never truly cared for him.

“Why?” he can’t help but ask.

“Because of the way you look at each other,” he answers instantly, a kind smile on his face. “There was a moment tonight when it became obvious that there was no one else in the room but you two. I have never seen you look at any of your boyfriend’s that way, and I have _always_ waited to see someone look back at you the same. Carlos does.”

TK swallows hard at his father’s words, knowing there’s nothing but the truth behind them. He’s never felt the way he feels when he’s with Carlos, and Carlos hasn’t once hidden his feelings from him, they are right there for TK to see every time he looks into his eyes.

Owen smiles again, shaking his head softly at him. “Why don’t you go help wash the truck and then cut out of here early. I’m sure you and your boyfriend have a lot to talk about.”

TK stands, letting out a huff of laughter when his father stands too and pulls him into a tight hug.

“I’m happy for you, son,” Owen says quietly into his shoulder. TK hugs him back tighter. “But if you can give me a heads up when you get engaged to Carlos again, I would appreciate it.”

TK rolls his eyes as he lets him go and heads for the door, his father’s laughter following him as he goes.

֍֍֍

TK arrives at Carlos’ apartment twenty minutes after leaving the firehouse, his ridiculous friends cheering him on as he got into the uber.

He knocks on the door, nervous but hopeful, his heart jumping when Carlos opens the door with a gentle smile on his face.

“Hey,” he says quietly, stepping to the side to let him in, but TK can’t come in any further without touching him first.

He steps into his space, his eyes running over every beautiful feature of Carlos’ face.

Carlos looks back at him in such a way that it almost knocks him back, and he’s reminded of his father’s earlier comment. He’s right, no one, not even Alex, has ever looked at him the way Carlos does.

He closes the distance between their mouths, hearing Carlos’ sigh right before their lips touch, he swallows a sound of his own as Carlos wraps his arms around his waist. He lets himself get lost in the kiss, pouring every feeling he has into it as Carlos presses him against the door, holding him like he’s too precious to let go. The kiss is long and deep, the kind of kiss that doesn’t just steal your breath, but also your heart as the other person takes ownership of it.

“The marriage tamales, Carlos,” he says urgently, he needs to know that Carlos wants his heart. “What do they mean?”

Carlos takes a sharp breath, closing his eyes as he presses his forehead against his. He can feel him slightly shake under his fingertips.

“It means I want to be _yours_ , and you be mine,” Carlos opens his eyes; the love in them makes TK’s eyes sting. “It means that I want what I have wanted from the moment I met you.”

“What’s that?” he whispers back, in awe of the man in front of him.

“A chance to love you the way you deserve,” Carlos answers, smiling tenderly at him when he gasps. “If you let me, I’ll love you the way you should always be loved, Tyler. Entirely and with my whole heart.”

TK sniffs, trying to keep the tears at bay. “What if I don’t deserve that?” 

Carlos shakes his head, looking angry for a moment.

“I’ve never heard a bigger untruth in my life; you deserve everything good this world has to offer,” he tells him firmly.

TK doesn’t know what he’s done to deserve someone like Carlos who _loves_ him, it’s clear now, but he’s grateful.

“I’m not saying I’m the best thing that will ever happen to you,” he continues quickly, wiping away the tears that have slipped down his face. 

_God_ , TK loves this man right back.

“All I can say is that I’ll treat you like you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me because you _are_ ,” Carlos tells him urgently. “We aren’t even together, and you already are.”

TK closes his eyes for a moment as more happy tears spill; he’s so in love he thinks he’ll burst from it.

“When your sisters said that the tamales are only for people you guys think are special and love,” he starts with a shaky smile as Carlos looks at him lovingly. “I wanted that. I want to be special to you, loved by you. I want it _so bad_ , Carlos. I think I have wanted it from the start, and it scared the fuck out of me,” he says, taking a breath before continuing. “It still scares me.”

He places a hand over Carlos’ heart, a wet laugh passing his lips as Carlos covers his hand with his. This is what he wants, to love Carlos and be loved by him.

“But I want it more than it scares me,” he tells him honestly, he’s never been more sure of anything in his life.

He tells Carlos so when he asks again, smiling at him brightly. He nods, laughing softly with joy before Carlos covers his mouth with a soft kiss. It grows heated and passionate as they blindly make their way to the bedroom, removing articles of clothing along the way in their desperate need to bask in their newfound love. They spend the night whispering the word into each other’s skin as they make love.

֍֍֍

In the morning they’ll get a call from Carlos’ older sister, they’ll get invited back to the house for brunch. He’ll get Carlota a gift both meant to be helpful and tease her. It will earn the respect of Carlos’ sisters as they grin at him in delight. Even Carlota will give into her reluctant amusement as she thanks him for the small home extinguisher.

They’ll eat as Carlos’ family teases them both with affection, and through it all, TK will smile with the knowledge that this moment is only just the beginning because he finally understands what the marriage tamales mean.

Carlos kept his promise to his mother; he made the tamales for who he wants to spend forever with, and that’s what they have.

Forever.

**Author's Note:**

> [tumblr](https://bellakitse.tumblr.com/)


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